This invention is directed to a grain cleaner for use in cleaning grain and, in particular, a grain cleaning machine which is useful for farm environments.
Grain cleaning machines are well known. They are useful for cleaning contaminants, such as grasses, stems and weed seeds, from valuable grain. While many grain cleaning machines are known, few grain cleaners are known which are particularly useful for farmers to use and maintain themselves. Also, few grain cleaners are easily convertible to clean different types of grain and this limits their usefulness especially in large operations or cooperatives where more than one crop must be processed. In particular, most grain cleaners are designed specifically for one type of grain and cannot be converted to clean other types of grain. Many grain cleaners are also limited as to volume throughput and cannot be adjusted to effectively process any desired volume of grain.
A grain cleaner has been invented which includes features for facilitating maintenance and repair and permitting such maintenance and repair without requiring special equipment. In addition, a grain cleaner according to the present invention is convertible for use in cleaning a variety of grain types (ie. peas, wheat, canola, etc.) and, in one embodiment, can handle large volume throughput.
A grain cleaner according to the present invention can include a number of grain cleaning stages, for example, for removing oversize and undersize contaminants. In one embodiment, diverters are included for permitting by pass of one or more cleaning stages. In one preferred embodiment, an early stage cleaner is provided for removing particularly problematic oversize contaminants such as animal droppings and rocks.
In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grain cleaner comprising a framework, a grain inlet for accepting a flow of grain, grain cleaning means to separate the grain from at least some of its contaminants and a grain outlet to permit flow of the grain away from the grain cleaning means, an auger flight being disposed in the grain outlet, the auger flight including a trough and an auger, the trough being mounted to permit at least a portion of the trough to be pivoted away from the auger.
In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grain cleaner comprising a framework, a grain inlet, a screen separator drum having a long axis and supported by the framework to be rotatable about its long axis, a chute extending to conduct materials from the screen separator drum to an indent cylinder assembly, the indent cylinder assembly having a long axis and including an indent cylinder and an auger flight extending therethrough, the indent cylinder and the auger flight being supported by the framework and the indent cylinder being rotatable about the long axis of the assembly and a grain outlet to conduct materials away from the auger flight, a second auger flight being disposed in the grain outlet, the auger flight including a trough and an auger, the trough being mounted to permit at least a portion of the trough to be pivoted away from the auger to provide access to the trough below the auger.
In one embodiment, there is an auger flight under the separator screen. Preferably this auger flight includes a trough with a drop away bottom for easy cleaning.
Further chutes can be provided for conveying materials from other parts of the grain cleaner. Preferably, each chute includes an outlet to an auger flight, the auger flight providing controlled conveyance of the materials from the grain cleaner. Preferred auger flights have drop away bottoms to facilitate cleaning.
In accordance with another broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grain cleaner comprising a framework, a grain inlet for accepting a flow of grain, grain cleaning means to separate the grain from at least some of its contaminants and a grain outlet to permit the grain to flow away from the grain cleaning means, the grain cleaning means including at least one indent cylinder assembly, the indent cylinder assembly including a cylinder having an inner surface with a plurality of indentations formed thereon, the cylinder being formed of a sheet of material wrapped and releasably secured into a cylindrical form and mounted on a frame.
In one embodiment, the cylinder includes an outer sheet material and an inner perforated liner, the outer sheet material including a releasable locking means aligned along two opposite edges thereof for securing the outer sheet material into a cylindrical form.
To enhance the wear characteristics of the cylinder and to reduce the weight of the cylinder, the inner perforated liner is preferably formed of polymeric material.
The inner perforated liner can be secured to the outer sheet, if desired. Preferably, the inner liner is secured to the outer sheet in such a way that it is removable therefrom for ease of replacement. In one embodiment, the inner liner is secured to the outer sheet material along an edge adjacent one of the opposite edges accommodating the locking means.
In accordance with another broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grain cleaner comprising a main framework, a grain inlet for accepting a flow of grain, grain cleaning means to separate the grain from at least some of its contaminants and a grain outlet to permit flow of the grain away from the grain cleaning means, at least a portion of the grain cleaning means being mounted on a support frame moveably mounted to the main framework such that the grain cleaning means can be moveable between a first position and a second position on the main framework of the grain cleaner.
In one embodiment, the grain cleaner includes a second grain cleaning means mounted on a second support frame, the second grain cleaning means and the first grain cleaning means being positioned in side by side relation. The first grain cleaning means includes inside components positioned adjacent the second grain cleaning means. The first support frame, because of its moveable mounting arrangement on the main framework, can be moved away from the second grain cleaning means to provide access to the inside components.
The grain cleaning means can be moveably mounted to the main framework in any suitable way such as, for example, by use of rollers, rails or pivotal connections. The second grain cleaning means can also be moveable over the main framework, as desired.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grain cleaner comprising a framework, a grain inlet for accepting a flow of grain, grain cleaning means to separate the grain from at least some of its contaminants and a grain outlet to permit flow of the grain away from the grain cleaning means, the grain cleaning means including an air separator box including an inlet opening for permitting a flow of grain therethrough and into the air separator box, a grain exit opening positioned below the inlet opening such that grain passing through the inlet opening can drop, by gravity, into the grain exit opening, a means for generating a flow of air and directing it through the flow of grain between the inlet opening and the grain exit opening, a waste material outlet from the air box, the waste material outlet positioned such that the flow of air can pass into the waste material outlet without passing again through the flow of grain and a baffle positioned between the grain exit opening and the waste material outlet.
In one embodiment, the air separator box includes a housing formed to substantially prevent the flow of air from exiting the air box except through the waste material outlet. The air box can include a curved wall positioned opposite the means for generating the flow of air. The wall is curved to direct the flow of air toward the waste material outlet. Preferably, the height or, stated another way, the degree of extension of the baffle into the air separation box is adjustable.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a grain cleaner comprising a framework, a grain inlet for accepting a flow of grain, grain cleaning means to separate the grain from at least some of its contaminants and a grain outlet to conduct the grain away from the grain cleaning means, the grain cleaning means including a scalper having a tube rotatable along its long axis and including apertures disposed through its side wall, the apertures being selected to permit passage therethrough of the grain while excluding materials of size larger than the apertures and a grain hopper for directing the flow of grain against the tube""s outer surface, the hopper including a wall positioned against the outer surface of the tube, the flow of grain being retained in the hopper between the wall and the outer surface of the tube until it passes through the apertures of the tube.
In one embodiment, the hopper includes an upper opening and the tube is selected to rotate in a direction which moves materials excluded by the apertures upwardly in the hopper and out through the upper opening.
The grain cleaners of the present invention are preferably mounted on transportation means such as a trailer for transport and use in the field during harvest.
The grain cleaning means of the present grain cleaners can be any suitable means for cleaning grain such as, for example, an indent cylinder, a rotary screen drum, a scalper, an, air separator box or combinations thereof. Preferably, the grain cleaning means of the grain cleaner are positioned within a housing to provide protection against catching hands, clothes etc. in the grain cleaning means and to contain contaminants such as rocks, dirt and dust within the grain cleaner. Portions of the housing can be removable to permit access to the grain cleaning means.